U.S. patent application number 12/872598 was filed with the patent office on 2011-03-10 for bearing bush, in particular for a shift housing of a vehicle, and method for installing the bearing bush.
This patent application is currently assigned to GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS, INC.. Invention is credited to Sascha BRUDER, Thorsten HAHN.
Application Number | 20110058757 12/872598 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 43448231 |
Filed Date | 2011-03-10 |
United States Patent
Application |
20110058757 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
BRUDER; Sascha ; et
al. |
March 10, 2011 |
BEARING BUSH, IN PARTICULAR FOR A SHIFT HOUSING OF A VEHICLE, AND
METHOD FOR INSTALLING THE BEARING BUSH
Abstract
A bearing bush is provided for a shift housing of a vehicle, and
a method is provided for installing the bearing bush. The bearing
bush is used for mounting a selection lever in a shift housing of a
vehicle, the selection lever transmitting selection movements of a
selection finger of a gear shift lever to traction and/or
compression movements of a selection cable pull. The selection
lever pivots around its pivot point into various selection
positions and is mounted so it is rotatable on a cast-on bearing
journal of the shift housing the bearing bush. The bearing bush has
radial and axial compensation elements, which axially lock the
selection lever on the bearing journal during pivot movements.
Inventors: |
BRUDER; Sascha; (Mainz,
DE) ; HAHN; Thorsten; (Gau-Odernheim, DE) |
Assignee: |
GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS,
INC.
Detroit
MI
|
Family ID: |
43448231 |
Appl. No.: |
12/872598 |
Filed: |
August 31, 2010 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
384/42 ;
29/898 |
Current CPC
Class: |
F16C 2226/74 20130101;
F16C 2361/65 20130101; Y10T 29/49636 20150115; F16H 59/042
20130101; F16H 61/36 20130101; F16C 33/201 20130101; F16C 35/02
20130101; F16C 2208/32 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
384/42 ;
29/898 |
International
Class: |
F16C 33/00 20060101
F16C033/00; B21D 53/10 20060101 B21D053/10 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Aug 31, 2009 |
DE |
102009037068.4 |
Claims
1. A bearing bush for a shift housing of a vehicle for mounting a
selection lever that transmits a selection movement of a selection
finger of a gear shift lever to movements of a selection cable pull
and pivots around a pivot point into a plurality of selection
positions, the bearing bush used to mount the selection lever to
provide a rotatable arrangement on a cast-on bearing journal of the
shift housing; a radial compensation element of the bearing bush;
and an axial compensation element of the bearing bush is adapted to
operate in conjunction with the radial compensation element to
axially lock the selection lever on the cast-on bearing journal
during a pivot movement.
2. The bearing bush according to claim 1, wherein the cast-on
bearing journal is fixed using a cast-on end on an axial contact
surface of the shift housing and comprises a ring groove on a free
end in which the radial compensation element and the axial
compensation element in a form of an internal snap hook of the
bearing bush engage.
3. The bearing bush according to claim 1, wherein the selection
lever comprises a bearing hole in the pivot point for the pivotable
mounting on the cast-on bearing journal, the bearing hole
comprising an indentation of a greater diameter than the bearing
hole, and the radial compensation element and the axial
compensation element in a form of an external snap hook of the
bearing bush being engaged with the indentation.
4. The bearing bush according to claim 3, wherein the bearing bush
comprising a flange-like shoulder supported on an axial contact
surface of the shift housing and comprises the axial compensation
element in the form of a spring element that axially lock a
shoulder in relation to the external snap hook on the indentation
of the bearing hole of the selection lever.
5. The bearing bush according to claim 2, wherein the bearing bush
comprises a shoulder supported on the axial contact surface of the
shift housing and comprises the axial compensation element in the
form of a spring element that axially lock the shoulder in relation
to the internal snap hook in the ring groove of the cast-on bearing
journal.
6. The bearing bush according to claim 1, wherein the cast-on
bearing journal and the selection lever comprise fiber-reinforced
polyamide and the bearing bush comprises
polytetrafluoroethylene.
7. The bearing bush according to claim 1, wherein the cast-on
bearing journal is cast onto the shift housing is connected to the
shift housing via a reinforcement element.
8. The bearing bush according to claim 1, wherein a spring element
is supported on the shift housing that holds the selection lever
and with the selection finger, the gear shift lever in a neutral
selection position.
9. A method for installing a bearing bush in a shift housing,
comprising the steps of: producing the shift housing comprising a
cast-on bearing journal for the pivotable mounting of a selection
lever on the shift housing, the cast-on bearing journal comprising
a ring groove for axially securing the selection lever; producing
the bearing bush that can be fitted with a bearing hole of the
selection lever; fitting the bearing bush in the bearing hole of
the selection lever with snapping of external snap hooks of the
bearing bush in an indentation of the bearing hole of the selection
lever; and plugging the selection lever with the bearing bush onto
the cast-on bearing journal of the shift housing with snapping of
internal snap hooks into the ring groove of the cast-on bearing
journal and with simultaneous receiving of a selection finger of a
gear shift lever in a receptacle hole of the selection lever.
10. The method according to claim 9, further comprising the step of
holding the selection lever on the cast-on bearing journal in an
axially-locked position with a spring element of a flange-like
shoulder of the bearing bush.
11. The method according to claim 9, further comprising the step of
connecting a selection cable pull to an attachment journal of the
selection lever.
12. The method according to claim 9, further comprising the step of
reinforcing the shift housing in an area of the cast-on bearing
journal.
Description
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION
[0001] This application claims priority to German Patent
Application No. 102009037068.4, filed Aug. 31, 2009, which is
incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.
TECHNICAL FIELD
[0002] The invention relates to a bearing bush, in particular for a
shift housing of a vehicle, and a method for installing the bearing
bush. The bearing bush is used for mounting a selection lever in a
shift housing of a vehicle, the selection lever transmitting
selection movements of a selection finger of a gear shift lever to
traction and/or compression movements of a selection cable pull.
The selection lever pivots into various selection positions around
a pivot point.
BACKGROUND
[0003] Bearing bushes are typically inserted into friction
bearings, bearing bushes of this type reducing the sliding friction
of a friction bearing. FIG. 4 shows a typical mounting of a
selection lever 2 in a shift housing 3, the mounting of the
selection lever, which is capable of rotating around a pivot point
4, in order to transmit various positions of a selection finger of
a gear shift lever with the aid of a receptacle hole 19 for the
selection finger to an attachment pin 20, being mechanically
connected to the selection cable pull.
[0004] In order to ensure pivoting of the selection lever 2 around
the pivot point 4, the selection lever 2 is fixedly connected to a
selection shaft 21, which is in turn mounted in two friction
bearings 24 and 25 of the shift housing 3. To axially secure the
selection shaft 21 in the friction bearings 24 and 25, additional
securing elements are required, such as a clip ring, which is
clipped onto a ring groove 9 of the selection shaft 21 after
positioning of the selection shaft 21 shown in FIG. 4 in the
friction bearings 24 and 25.
[0005] The requirement according to the prior art of mounting a
selection shaft in two friction bearings 24 and 25 on the shift
housing 3 is connected to relatively complex installation. In
addition, it is disadvantageous that the production method of two
exactly aligned friction bearings for the selection shaft requires
costly post-processing after injection molding of the shift
housing, in order to achieve secure mounting of the selection lever
2 around its pivot point 4.
[0006] At least one object of the invention is to disclose a
bearing bush which, in cooperation with improved shift housing,
allows rapid, secure, and cost-effective installation of a
selection lever, which is pivotable around its pivot point, and
ensures its axial locking. In addition, other objects, desirable
features, and characteristics will become apparent from the
subsequent summary and detailed description, and the appended
claims, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings and
this background.
SUMMARY
[0007] According to an embodiment of the invention, a bearing bush,
in particular for a shift housing of a vehicle and a method for
installing the bearing bush are provided. The bearing bush is used
for mounting a selection lever in a shift housing of a vehicle, the
selection lever transmitting selection movements of a selection
finger of a gear shift lever to traction and/or compression
movements of a selection cable pull. The selection lever pivots
around a pivot point into various selection positions and is
mounted so it is rotatable on a cast-on bearing journal of the
shift housing the bearing bush. The bearing bush has radial and
axial compensation elements which axially lock the selection lever
on the bearing journal in the event of pivot movements.
[0008] A bearing bush of this type has the advantage that the
compensation elements allow simple and cost-effective installation
of the selection lever on the cast-on bearing journal of the shift
housing and simultaneously ensure axial securing of the selection
lever on the bearing journal without additional securing elements.
Furthermore, the bearing bush allows a double-mounted selection
shaft for the selection lever to be dispensed with, which in turn
reduces the costs for the production of the shift housing.
[0009] For this purpose, the bearing journal is preferably fixed
using a cast-on end on an axial contact surface of the shift
housing. On its free end, the bearing journal has a ring groove, in
which compensation elements in the form of internal snap hooks of
the bearing bush engage. This has the advantage that when the
bearing bush is put onto the bearing journal, the internal snap
hooks of the bearing bush catch automatically in the ring groove on
the free end of the bearing journal.
[0010] Furthermore, it is provided that the selection lever has a
bearing hole, for the pivotable mounting on the bearing journal, in
the pivot point. The bearing hole has an indentation of a larger
diameter than the bearing hole, the compensation elements in the
form of external snap hooks of the bearing bush being engaged with
the indentation. This has the advantage that the selection lever is
axially locked in its position in the bearing hole by the
compensation elements of the bearing bush.
[0011] In addition, it is provided that the bearing bush has a
flange-like shoulder, which is supported on the axial contact
surface of the shift housing and has axially acting compensation
elements in the form of spring elements, which axially lock the
shoulder in relation to the external snap hooks on the indentation
of the bearing hole of the shift lever. These spring elements of
the flange-like collar press against a tubular extension of the
bearing opening of the shift lever on one side and thus axially fix
the external snap hooks, which are supported on the indentation in
the bearing hole.
[0012] In addition, further compensation elements in the form of
axially acting spring elements are provided on the flange-like
shoulder, which axially lock the shoulder in relation to the
internal snap hooks of the ring groove of the bearing journal. It
is thus ensured that the selection lever is axially secured in both
directions by the compensation elements, which are provided in the
form of external and internal snap hooks and in the form of axially
acting spring elements on the one-piece bearing bush.
[0013] By inserting a bearing bush between the selection lever and
the shift housing, it is possible to produce both the selection
lever and also the shift housing from an identical materials such
as fiber-reinforced polyamide in the injection-molding method and
to protect it from friction wear through the interposed bearing
bush, in that the bearing bush is produced from another
low-friction plastic such as polytetrafluoroethylene.
[0014] In order to ensure that the cast-on bearing journal on the
contact surface of the shift housing can transmit the forces which
act on the selection lever to the shift housing, it is provided
that the shift housing has a reinforcement element in the area of
the cast-on bearing journal. This reinforcement element can also be
produced during the injection molding of the shift housing.
[0015] As in the prior art, a spring element can also be provided
on the shift housing here, which is supported on the shift housing
and holds the selection lever and, via the selection finger, thus
the gear shift lever in a neutral selection position, from which
the various selection settings may be set by a gear shift lever
against the restoring force of this spring element.
[0016] A method for installing the bearing bush in a shift housing
has the following method steps. Firstly, a shift housing having a
cast-on bearing journal for the pivotable mounting of a selection
lever on the shift housing is produced. The bearing journal has a
ring groove for axially securing the selection lever. In addition,
a bearing bush is produced, which can be fitted in a bearing hole
of the selection lever. The bearing bush is then fitted in the
bearing hole of the selection lever while external snap hooks of
the bearing bush snap into an indentation of the bearing hole of
the selection lever. Subsequently, the selection lever having
bearing bush is put onto the cast-on bearing journal of the shift
housing while internal snap hooks of the bearing bush snap into the
ring groove of the bearing journal and with a selection finger of a
gear shift lever simultaneously being received in a receptacle hole
of the selection lever spaced apart from the pivot point.
[0017] This installation has the advantage that it can be performed
cost-effectively by simply fitting and plugging the selection lever
onto the bearing journal with the aid of the bearing bush and no
additional securing elements are to be attached to the bearing
journal and/or the selection lever. In addition, the method
dispenses completely with the provision of a selection shaft and
with the provision of two friction bearings for a selection shaft
of this type on the shift housing. Spring elements of a flange-like
shoulder of the bearing bush hold the selection lever on the
bearing journal in an axially locked position, the selection lever
itself remaining pivotable around this position or its pivot point
on the bearing journal.
[0018] After installation of the selection lever and the
simultaneous insertion of the selection finger into the receptacle
hole of the selection lever, a selection cable pull can be
connected to an attachment journal of the selection lever. This
attachment journal is a ball stud, on which a corresponding ball
capsule of the selection cable pull is placed. Furthermore, it is
provided that the shift housing is reinforced in the area of the
cast-on bearing journal, a double friction bearing guide of the
selection shaft becoming superfluous through this reinforcement and
thus the production costs being able to be reduced.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0019] The present invention will hereinafter be described in
conjunction with the following drawing figures, wherein like
numerals denote like elements, and.
[0020] FIG. 1 shows a schematic perspective view of a bearing bush
according to an embodiment of the invention;
[0021] FIG. 2 shows a schematic exploded perspective view of a
shift housing having the bearing bush according to FIG. 1 for
mounting a selection lever on a bearing journal of the shift
housing;
[0022] FIG. 3 shows a schematic exploded perspective view of a
bearing bush of a shift housing according to FIG. 2 from a
different perspective; and
[0023] FIG. 4 shows a schematic exploded perspective view of a
shift housing having a selection lever and a selection shaft
according to the prior art.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0024] The following detailed description is merely exemplary in
nature and is not intended to limit application and uses.
Furthermore, there is no intention to be bound by any theory
presented in the preceding background or summary or the following
detailed description.
[0025] FIG. 1 shows a schematic perspective view of a bearing bush
1 according to an embodiment of the invention. The bearing bush 1
is adapted using its internal diameter d to the external diameter
of a bearing journal cast onto a shift housing. In addition, the
bearing bush 1 is adapted using its external diameter D to the
internal diameter of a bearing hole of a selection lever situated
so it is rotatable on bearing bush 1. Three external snap hooks 12
distributed around the circumference protrude beyond the external
diameter D of the bearing bush 1 in this embodiment of the bearing
bush 1, which can be engaged with a corresponding indentation of
the bearing hole of the selection lever. Furthermore, three
internal snap hooks 11 distributed around the circumference of the
bearing bush protrude into the internal diameter d in this
embodiment of the invention, which can be engaged in a ring groove
on the free end of the bearing journal 5 cast onto the shift
housing.
[0026] In addition to the compensation elements 6 in the form of
internal snap hooks 11 and external snap hooks 12 distributed
around the circumference of the bearing bush 1, further axial
compensation elements 6 are situated on a flange-like shoulder 14
of the bearing bush 1 in the form of spring elements 17 and 18.
Three spring elements 17 distributed uniformly on the flange-like
shoulder 14 cooperate with the external snap hooks 12 and axially
lock the selection lever on the bearing bush 1. Three further
spring elements 18 are supported on a contact surface of the shift
housing, and cooperate with the internal snap hooks 11. The
internal snap hooks axially lock the bearing bush in relation to
the bearing journal together with the spring elements 18. The
internal snap hooks are engaged with the ring groove at the free
end of the bearing journal and, because of the spring action of the
spring elements 18, are axially pressed against the outer groove
flank of the ring groove of the bearing journal. The bearing bush
would be rotatable in relation to the bearing journal, but this
rotation can be prevented by corresponding openings in the ring
groove.
[0027] This bearing bush 1 is produced from a low-friction plastic,
which minimizes both the wear upon the opening of the selection
lever and also the wear on the bearing journal. For this purpose,
the bearing bush 1 can preferably be produced from
polytetrafluoroethylene or another low-friction plastic. The
bearing bush 1 having the compensation element 6 can be produced in
one piece in an injection-molding method, which reduces the
production costs of a bearing bush of this type which axially locks
the selection lever on the bearing journal. The installation costs
are simultaneously reduced in that the three components of
selection lever, bearing bush, and bearing journal can be plugged
axially on one another in a self-locking manner.
[0028] FIG. 2 shows a schematic perspective exploded view of a
shift housing 3 having the bearing bush 1 according to FIG. 1 for
mounting a selection lever 2 on a bearing journal 5 of the shift
housing 3. The selection lever 2 transmits selection movements of a
selection finger of a gear shift lever (not shown) to traction
and/or compression movements of a selection cable pull (not shown),
the selection finger being received by the receptacle hole 19 of
the selection lever 2 and the selection cable pull being attached
to an attachment journal 20 in the form of a ball stud. This ball
stud can also be implemented as a cylindrical attachment journal 20
for the selection cable pull.
[0029] The selection lever 2 is pivotable around a pivot point 4 on
the bearing journal 5 for the transmission of the deflection of the
selection finger to the selection cable pull. For mounting on the
bearing journal 5, the selection lever 2 has a tubular extension 23
of a bearing hole 15, the tubular extension 23 having reinforcement
ribs 26 in the axial direction. In addition, the bearing hole 15
has an indentation 13 of a greater diameter than the bearing hole
15. This indentation 13 is used for axially fixing the selection
lever 2 on the bearing journal 5 of the shift housing 3 with the
aid of the bearing bush 1. The structure of the selection lever 2
has reinforcement ribs 27, in order to reinforce highly loaded
areas of the selection lever 2.
[0030] The bearing journal 5 of the shift housing 3 is also cast on
with the shift housing 3 in an injection-molding process and has a
cast-on end 10 on an axial contact surface 7 of the shift housing
3. A free end 8 of the bearing journal 5 has a ring groove 9, which
is used for axially fixing the selection lever 2, which is
pivotable on the bearing journal 5. Because both the shift housing
3 and also the selection lever 2 are injection molded from a
fiber-reinforced plastic, the bearing bush 1, which is made of a
plastic improving the friction mounting, such as
polytetrafluoroethylene, is provided between the bearing journal 5
and the tubular extension 23 of the bearing hole 15, so that two
fiber-reinforced plastic parts are prevented from rubbing on one
another. In order to connect the cast-on bearing journal 5 to the
shift housing 3 in a mechanically stable manner, the shift housing
3 has a reinforcement element 16 for the axial contact surface 7 in
the area of the cast-on bearing journal 5.
[0031] For the axial fixing of the selection lever 2 on the bearing
journal 5, the bearing bush 1 described in greater detail above has
locking and spring elements, in order to ensure that, without
additional clip rings or other aids for axially securing the
selection lever 2 with the bearing bush 1 axially on the bearing
journal 5 upon assembly, the three components are automatically
axially locked. The external snap hooks 12 and internal snap hooks
11 of the bearing bush are used for this purpose, the external snap
hooks 12 being able to be engaged with the indentation 13 of the
bearing hole 15 and the internal snap hooks 11 being able to engage
in the ring groove 9 of the bearing journal 5. A flange-like
shoulder 14 of the bearing bush 1 additionally has spring elements
17 and 18, which axially lock the internal snap hooks 11 and the
external snap hooks 12 in the ring groove 9 or on the indentation
13, respectively, in a spring-loaded manner. It is ensured that the
selection lever 2 remains axially locked on the bearing journal 5
by simply clicking together the snap hooks 11 and 12.
[0032] FIG. 3 shows a schematic perspective view of a bearing bush
1 of a shift housing 3 according to FIG. 2 from a different
perspective. Components having identical functions as in FIG. 2 are
identified by identical reference numerals and are not explained
further.
[0033] While the receptacle hole 19 receives a selection finger of
the gear shift lever of the vehicle, the bearing hole 15 of the
selection lever 2 is used to implement a pivot point 4 for the
selection lever 2 on the cast-on bearing journal 5 of the shift
housing 3. The axial length of the tubular extension 23 of the
bearing hole 5 corresponds to the axial length of the receptacle
hole 19 for the selection finger of the gear shift lever of the
vehicle.
[0034] For the assembly or installation of the selection lever 2 on
the bearing journal 5, firstly the bearing bush 1 is inserted into
the bearing hole 15 of the selection lever 2 until the external
snap hooks of the bearing bush 1 catch in the indentation 13 of the
bearing hole 15. The selection lever 2 having the bearing bush 1 is
then pushed onto the bearing journal 5 until the internal snap
hooks 11 engage in the ring groove 9 of the bearing journal 5.
[0035] FIG. 4 shows a schematic perspective view of a shift housing
22 having a selection lever 2 and a selection shaft 21 according to
the prior art, as already explained at the beginning, so that a
further description of FIG. 4 will be dispensed with.
[0036] While at least one exemplary embodiment has been presented
in the foregoing summary and detailed description, it should be
appreciated that a vast number of variations exist. It should also
be appreciated that the exemplary embodiment or exemplary
embodiments are only examples, and are not intended to limit the
scope, applicability, or configuration in any way. Rather, the
foregoing summary and detailed description will provide those
skilled in the art with a convenient road map for implementing an
exemplary embodiment, it being understood that various changes may
be made in the function and arrangement of elements described in an
exemplary embodiment without departing from the scope as set forth
in the appended claims and their legal equivalents.
* * * * *